Yesterday, our team held a fundraising tea and coffee morning, a HUGG in a Mug Moment, with donations going to HUGG, a suicide bereavement charity which provides vital support to people navigating the loss of a loved one to suicide.
The NSRF and HUGG have been working together since 2020.
Our first collaborative project examined the demographics and profile of individuals bereaved by suicide who were attending the HUGG peer-support groups in terms of psychological wellbeing and grief experiences.
We also collaborated on Ireland’s first large-scale national study of people bereaved by suicide. This study, funded by HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, aimed to examine and understand the profile and needs of those bereaved by suicide. Over 2,400 people contributed to the survey, highlighting the need for those bereaved by suicide to tell their story and to have their voices heard.
The findings from this survey provide invaluable insight into the experiences of people bereaved and affected by suicide, the impacts on their lives and the supports received following their loss. The findings also illustrate the specific challenges unique to suicide bereavement and have important implications for support and service provision.
We thank Caroline, in particular, for organising a lovely morning for our team to connect, and to raise money for such a worthy cause.
